Valentine's gift

This Valentine's day, I painted some small mailboxes to put the girls' goodies in. I plan on using them each year and was pleased with how they turned out. Liv got an eye mask (for sleeping) and Belle got an apron for cooking with me. They got a few other things but one thing I will need to remember for next year...think SMALL. I had bought bigger things that didn't fit inside. :)

Our 'other' dancer...

Nothing like being a month late (still...), but here are pictures from Parent's Night at Bella's dance class. I think they are absolutely adorable! Not bad form for a 3 year old, huh? :)

What a blur! (January in review...)

Ok, so it is no surprise to you that things have been uber-crazy around here seeing as I haven't even checked in to BLOG in almost TWO WHOLE MONTHS! I hate that too, because I have SO much to blog about!

I guess I'll just start from the beginning and hope you all bear with me. :)

First of all, during Christmas break, we cat-sat for a friend of mine, Ashley. It was our first experience with a cat around full time--ever. Her name was Lucy and the girls LOVED her. She took up with Brian's new chair and wouldn't let him sit in it at night, but then she took up with the reading chair in Olivia's room. We got pretty attached to Lucy and the girls hated to see her go.







Then, we got our passports in the mail...WE ARE GOING, BABY! (on our cruise, that is!) It's official! WooHoo!!!



After that, Isabella's school made up their Christmas program that got canceled due to the ice we had in December. Super cute. And she did so well on stage--I was surprised she was so comfortable up there!





Since my dad was sick on Christmas, he and Yvonne were not able to come out between Christmas and New Year's as they had planned. So, they came out the weekend of Brian's birtday instead. We had our 'Christmas' with them on Friday night, and then on Saturday, they took the girls to Build A Bear and let them make bears. They had so much fun! Then on Sunday, we all went to Outback for Brian's birthday before they left to head back home. It was a fast trip, but we had a great time.







The weekend after that, Alan and his fiance' came to visit. It was a 'dance' weekend for us with the first competition being the next weekend, but we still had fun. Also that weekend, my studio 'officially' reopened for business... It was one of my busiest months with some record-breaking sales. I am so blessed!

The next weekend was Primetime, our first competition of the season. Only 3 of Olivia's dances went--her duet Love Shack and two of her large group dances: lyrical, Angels Among Us, and tap, 5,6,7,8. It was great! 5,6,7,8 won 1st place over all, Angels won 3rd and the duet came in 4th. But the best part...Olivia had several family and friends coming to support her this year! My mom, sister, Justin, and Cooper came for her duet. So did her teacher, Mrs. Meek with her husband and daughter. How awesome is that? They even brought her flowers and stayed through the awards...and CAME BACK that evening for the group dances! It meant so much to us that they made such an effort.



Mr. and Mrs. Meek, Annie, and Olivia...


Awards...




Her tap costume...


Her lyrical costume...


To end the month, we got Olivia's grades...STRAIGHT A's! We are so proud!

I have more pictures to add from the family visits, but they are having a problem downloading right now, so I'll add those later (and I'll blog about Feb too...)

Coming to a close...

Tonight (New Year's Eve), we decided to continue with the 'family fun'. First, we had dinner at Wing Stop (the kids had happy meals...). Then, we came home and Brian started a fire in the chiminea. We toasted marshmallows and made s'mores. Olivia loved it, but Isabella wasn't so keen. She didn't like the fire, but we ended up talking her into swinging on the porch swing for a bit, and then on the swing set.

The girls ended the evening with some sparkling cider in 'grown up cups'. Then Bella went to bed, and Liv went with my mom to visit Mamaw (they leave in the morning).

NLR Christmas Parade

I just found these and wanted to post them as soon as I could... The first weekend in December, Olivia was in the NLR Jingle Jubilee Holiday Parade for the Petite Pom Squad at school. It was pretty chilly that day, but by the look of this picture, she doesn't look that cold me!

The Pom Squad had been practicing cheers, and this was their first event. Olivia did a great job and looked stinkin' adorable!

While we were waiting for her group to pass our location, Brian, Isabella, and I hung out, grabbing candy out of the streets when the floats would pass by, and spent time 'waving to the princesses' (AKA, pagent queens...) There is a picture of Bella on the other page that I
just LOVE... She is taking a drink out of a Backyard Burger cup, but I absolutely love it anyway...
When the Pom Squad's group was done with the parade, we headed home. It had been a loooonnnnnggg weekend. Olivia had dance on Friday night, I had an ordering session...and Liv's school had a Winterfest carnival from 5-9. Brian had to take items to it and pick it back up...but we did NOT go to the carnival...and that was an issue with Olivia... Then, the day of the parade, she was supposed to have dance practice from 10 - 1:00 and be at the Robinson Auditorium at 2:00 to meet up with her squad. Luckily, Ms. Karen said she could come just for duet practice so Olivia wouldn't be so tired walking in the parade. Brian was the one carting the girls around because I had a photo shoot in Austin! Oh MY, we must be crazy! LOL!

2nd Annual "Charlie" ride

We rode the trolley, AKA "Charlie" to my kids, last night. We have made it a family tradition for all of us (my family, my sister's family, and my mom) to ride it during the holiday season (while they are all decorated with lights and garland) and this year we decided to eat at the Rivermarket along the way.




I am always amazed at how beautiful those things are. The woodwork on the inside is amazing and they are fun to ride especially during the holiday season! We parked on the NLR side and rode it across the bridge and near the Clinton Library where we stopped, flipped the seats (which was cool), and started back toward the River Market. We then got off and waked to the Flying Fish for dinner. It is another "gotta do" during this time of year.



It was pretty crowded, but we were able to find a table, eat, and head back just in time to catch another trolley across the river to our cars.




My kids absolutely LOVE this tradition and I know it is one that they will NOT ever want to give up!